Chapter 4

 

POV Charlotte Pudding

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous of my twin sister Syrup. She had everything I wanted to be...she was strong. She was stronger than any of us, possibly except Brother Katakuri and maybe the other Sweet Commanders but she was strong. She was strong enough for mother to send her out on missions even the Commanders would think twice about, yet she dived in without a second thought and always returned home victorious.

 

 

She was smart, a true intellectual. She learned and remembered, she knew how to plan. A genius in both numbers and art. She outstripped all of us at the age of 5 and moved onto adult courses just so she would actually learn something, and even then she shined.

 

Finally, she was beautiful. Some might argue that my looks aren’t too bad but that fucking eye always had to ruin it. While my twin sister was the one killing and slaughtering, I was always the monster of the two of us because of our looks. While I sat there and grew hair to cover my eye, Syrup was truly beautiful.

 

She was petite and lithe, and an incredibly cute face. Two large sparkly eyes that were often dull and tired...she slept more than what anyone would expect her to actually. She pulled her long pinkish white hair back into a ponytail above her head before it fell back down onto her mid-back. She often refused to wear the things Mama gave us (which were food themed) and instead went through her closet faster than Mama ate cake. Everyday she would wear something different before tossing it away into some deep corner of the room never to be seen again.

 

Mama, who favored Syrup over almost anyone, allowed this behavior. In fact, she encouraged it since as long as Syrup was happy, she was the perfect daughter. The perfect genius smart little sister of the Charlotte Family. When Syrup isn’t with us, the daughters of Big Mom (us) often gather and talk about Syrup. While most of them are filled with envy and jealousy, we had to give it to her for the effort she put into to nurture that talent.

 

Nobody wanted to go get mama’s chocolate. Nobody would want to be the spearhead in attacking another Emperor’s territory...yet Syrup never complained and went for it. Never complaining...ok, maybe she did complain but that was because it often cut into her nap schedule, but nothing more. (She puts a great deal of importance in her nap schedule).

 

 

Despite this, to the people who she cared for, she was a sweet heart. She was so much like a cat that I would sometimes find myself just absently petting her while she slept. Of course, she was like a cat in other regards where she would just randomly knock things down for no reason then run away before I can ask her why she would do that.

 

Still was a lovable, adorable, little sadistic sister. I wouldn’t trade her for anyone else.

 

LinLin: Mamamama...take your pick Syrup

 

In front of Syrup and I were two Devil Fruits. The cursed Fruits of the sea which gave you an ability the took away the ability to swim. Of course Mama would want Syrup to go first. Mama wanted Syrup to become stronger, even stronger than she already was.

 

LinLin: This one is the Memo-Memo No Mi, it will allow the user to manipulate memories while this one...

 

She pointed at an almost completely white Devil Fruit which had swirls only slightly darker. Almost no contrast, it could be mistaken for a snack here on Totta Land.

 

LinLin: The choco-choco no-mi. A devil fruit that allows one’s body to be covered in chocolate.

 

In truth, it was depressing. I knew I would be getting the memo-memo no mi. She was the front-line fighter so she would get the choco-one obviously. But what did make me sad was that Mama so obviously showed her preference over me. Of course, I understood where it came from though.

 

Syrup: Mama…I would like to refuse the fruits.

 

Me & LinLin: ...eh?

 

LinLin: Are you sure?

 

Syrup: Yes Mama. While I can see the potential of both fruits, I am Charlotte Syrup. I would not like to have my powers simply given to me. Should I choose to consume a devil fruit…it would be one that I get myself. Please allow my sister to choose her Devil Fruit.

 

LinLin: Mamamama! As expected of my favorite daughter! Don’t be sad if you never come across a Devil fruit of your liking!

 

 

Syrup: Mama, the only useless fruit is the Hito-Hito No mi. Any other fruit will have their uses if you just study it enough. I will make sure to do so. I am sure I will come across plenty of fruits during my adventures across the New World.

 

LinLin: Mamamama!

 

That was how I came to acquire the Memo Memo No mi. I found out that she had somehow come across a mystery fruit on her next mission but she kept it hidden from us as to what abilities it had.

 

I couldn’t believe my luck for Syrup’s strange personality. No one else would have made that sacrifice for me...but she did. I didn’t know what powers she got from the fruit, even days after we ate that horrid fruit.

 

Even months later when I saw her train with brother Katakuri, not once did she use the fruit’s powers. Curiosity got the better of me and I ended up asking her at night.

 

Syrup: ...too strong. I train with it when I’m out on missions, and I’m isolated so no one can figure it out. I try not to use it since I’ll end up relying on it.

 

Me: That strong?

 

Syrup: ...at least the potential for it. Still, it drains my stamina like I’m using the advanced armament haki. It’s not good to keep it up for so long.

 

To be honest, this time I wasn’t jealous at all. She took the risk and it paid off, and who knows if that fruit would have not suited me at all. I was happy for her, and the feeling of guilt I had round me dissipated after finding out that she was satisfied with the powers she got.

 

POV Katakuri

 

She was a strange little thing. A genius little sister who shook the entirety of Totta Land at an age where others shouldn’t even be able to walk. Her talent and abilities only grew as she aged, one by one. She went through the trainers and teachers Mama had put for her like one goes through shoes...which is to say at an extraordinary rate since I was talking about Syrup; she goes through clothing (shoes included) like they’re single-use products.

 

The first time I met her was when she was two. Of course I’ve seen her in the baby center before but that was the first time I was actually able to interact with her. I’ve never seen her before at all but she seemed to recognize me, which seemed quite strange. To be honest, she was a cute little thing. Small enough to fit snugly in the palm of my hand. I thanked my scarf for hiding my smile as I knew I had to keep up my image...that goddamn perfect image of me that this place had made me become.

 

Then one day, Mama had assigned her training to me. In other words, she recognized her talent and potential was beyond what anyone could teach. She would simply learn it all before demanding more. Personally, I didn’t think I believe it all when I first heard about how she was breaking the records set by her siblings...until I saw her, that was.

 

She was a genius, more so than myself. Everything I taught, she mimicked. She was fast...faster than what I had imaged a six year old would be possible of. Every week she would learn something new and try and use it against me...often times pushing me to the border of using haki against her.

 

Then...it happened. She awakened Observation on her own. Ever since then, I knew I couldn’t go easy on her anymore. Every spar was fought like I would fight a real enemy. Of course, I never once lost but that was because I constantly pushed myself into the future to look ahead of her moves, multiple steps ahead if you can say.

 

I trained and pushed her beyond any of my siblings. After the training session, she would often have multiple broken bones, bleeding in multiple places, and most of the time unconscious from both the pain and pure exhaustion. Despite this, she never complained. She was focused even when I could tell she was in pain. When we sparred, I was not her brother but rather an ‘opponent’. Until she was down for good...and I mean unconscious, she wouldn’t give up. For this, I was proud of her.

 

But as time went on, I felt that she was catching on. I would see less of her future when she would fight me. Often times her next moves would be clouded in mystery and sprout in multiple directions as she learned how to move around my future sight. She was growing...learning...adapting like a true monster.

 

Outside of the lessons, however, she was like an entirely different person. She would often just crawl onto my lap, covered in bandages from the wounds, and sleep there. She often demanded me to pet her, which I followed through. It began as a mere amusement but I found her growing on me as I found respect and (brotherly) love for my genius little sister.

 

She can be a handful sometimes and he had to clean up her mess, but he loved her all the same.

 

Me: What did you do this time Syrup...*sigh*

 

Syrup: *hic* I killed him.

 

This was going to be stressful...he was here to deliver the sweets from one of Mama’s islands. If word about this gets out, then who knows how they’ll react.

 

Me: Can I at least know the reason?

 

Syrup: He said he’ll make me his concubine...and he grabbed my butt so I cut off his head in panic...and...*hic* he was dead.

...

...

You know what? I think he deserved that.

 

Syrup: Brother?

 

Me: You said that was Demsy Island right? For the Sweet Cocos island’s representative?

 

Syrup: *hic* Yes. Am I going to be in trouble brother?

 

Me: No. You just stay right here. Brother’s going on a trip next week okay?

 

A trip. A trip to Demsy Island to give them a warning on what happens if they ever send such a representative again.

 

Syrup: Okay.

 

*smirk* That’s my little sis.

 

Just as I turned around, I thought I saw a smirk on my little sister’s face. Surely that must have been a mistake.